25 February 2013

"In a 32-page decision issued Thursday, Justice James Russell ruled against Nelson's claims that he was illegally removed from office."

"'The evidence before me suggests that the Nelson Respondents knowingly flouted the rule of law in order to retain and/or regain power and knowingly created mischief that precipitated a crisis for Roseau River Anishinabe First Nation.'."

22 February 2013

When will University of British Columbia establish a sino-sensitive law school to redress all their cultural sins?

“What I want to do is ensure that indigenous studies, aboriginal issues, are front and foremost in terms of our program, and I think that's achieved by making it a law course,” said Lakehead University Law School Dean Lee Stuesser.

The law school is set to open this fall. In 2011, Lakehead University received approval from the province to start up the school after making the case that the law school would emphasize addressing the legal needs of northern First Nations communities.

I thought the law was the law. Silly me.

GREAT MOMENTS IN ABORIGINAL JUSTICE:

"An injunction employed to restrain the exercise and assertion of aboriginal rights not only threatens the public peace and safety but fundamentally undermines the rule of law."

"And...

"Chiefs also oppose Bill S-2, which would protect the matrimonial property rights of women living on reserves if their marriages end."

21 February 2013

The Fraser Institute study, to be released Wednesday, found that federal, provincial and local government employees working in Ontario earned 13.9% more wages, on average, than their private sector counterparts in April, 2011.

Government workers are also three times more likely to be covered by a pension plan, far less likely to lose their jobs and, on average, set to retire more than a year earlier than private workers.

"On Thursday, City Council passed the motion by a vote of 37 to 3 that also requires training all city staff and managers to ensure Toronto’s estimated 200,000 non-status residents can access its services without fear of being turned over to border enforcement officers for detention and deportation."

Actually, though... it's about more than that. Ask one of the three city councillors who voted nay...

“We shouldn’t encourage them. We shouldn’t help them. We should not facilitate them. They are an insult to every immigrant who plays by the rule to get into the country. They are an insult to every immigrant who is waiting to enter this country legally,” said Minnan-Wong.

“It sends a message to the world that it is okay to break the law to come to Canada and it says that the City of Toronto is an accomplice to this lawbreaking.”

Just something to ponder the next time you have to warm the bench for 6 hours at a hospital emergency room.

20 February 2013

"Galloway questioned Jones about reports that a security light was not working at the spot where Montaque was shot. There are reports the light had been out for more than a week."

“'There’s a process that we have to go through,' said Jones. 'We have public dollars that we have to protect. There’s a procurement process that we have to go through. We can’t just go up there and pull out a light bulb.'"

Well, that's refreshing. Mr Jones is all about the process and ensuring fiscal respons... wait a minute...

"Meanwhile, where was TCH president and CEO Gene Jones Monday? 'Mr. Jones was not in the Firgrove Crescent community last night. He is out of town at a conference,' explained spokesperson Sinead Canavan."

"At $200,000 a year — with potential for a 20% bonus — Jones might want to consider getting back here because one thing I have learned in 20 years of covering Toronto’s ghetto drug wars is when one shooting occurs, it is often soon followed by another."

"Historically, there have been members of Congress who either inadvertently or maybe purposefully, but not to this magnitude, used campaign funds inappropriately."

"Documents filed with Jackson Jr.'s plea agreement state that in January 2006, Jackson Jr. personally opened a bank account under the name 'Jesse Jackson Jr. for Congress,' and the following year withdrew $43,350 he used to buy a gold Rolex watch."

And once again, you right-wing knuckle-draggers... it's a sickness, not a felony.

"In the end, jurors agreed with prosecutors that Blagojevich had tried to sell the Senate seat in a variety of ways, including an attempt to steer it to U.S. Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. in exchange for $1.5 million in campaign cash promised by Jackson supporters."

After a decade of Liberal government, it's a little tricky to be blaming anything on Mike Harris...I guess that won't stop them from trying, though...

"The Ontario government led by Premier Kathleen Wynne will remain focused on creating jobs and improving the economy, but will take care to ensure that opportunities are extended to all people living in the province. CBC viewers can watch the throne speech live on this website right now."

Apparently, that whole last decade of malfeasance is deductible. Go CBC.

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RELATED: One person's conflict of interest...

is another person's happily ever after...

What could possibly go awry here?

“Normally the convention is the family of the premier, the family of the cabinet minister, can’t be involved in a business that’s connected to the business of the government.”

"Jane Rounthwaite, who is married to Wynne, owns 40% of The Osborne Group, which counts Ontario government ministries and organizations funded through the provincial treasury as clients."

19 February 2013

Introducing Toronto's eighth homicide of 2013, and the third to involve a victim under the age of 16...I don't get it... the left-leaning rabbloids keep telling us crime is down. Apparently, though... it's worse than you might think.

“My kids are like, ‘Why are all the good kids dying?’ ” said the mother who called 911 and has lived in the block for four years. “You hear gunshots all the time.”

“I’m scared for my kids to leave here,” she said. “Everyone’s a target here. I think our kids are all targets.”

Yet, you haven't managed to find a bullet-free environment.

Here's a thought... we've got all kinds of laws, but, judging by this murder-a-week deal, that doesn't seem to be helping. Maybe a little more enforcement?

Oh, right... that'd be "profiling" and we surely don't wanna descend into the murky realm of stereotyping...

"In a statement read by police, one of Montaque’s 10 stepsisters said her brother was a dutiful, loving young man who came straight home after school each day."

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RELATED: Ah, yes... traditional "community values"...

“To make a marketable prosecution I need witnesses to come forward and tell the truth,” Homicide Detective Sgt. Gary Giroux said, adding: “I understand that there is thistraditional code of silencein the community, but if this young man is going to be avenged tangibly within the courts, those witnesses have to come forward.”

Hmmm... "avenged?" There's a word that isn't usually bandied about by an officer of the court. Another "community specific" appeal?

15 February 2013

-- OTTAWA -- Justin Trudeau has charged school boards and other publicly funded organizations tens of thousands of dollars for speeches he's given since becoming an MP.

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UPDATE: It gets better...

"Some of his speaking clients, like the Ontario Public Service Employees Union, paid him $20,000 for one speech in 2010. It's illegal for unions (and corporations) to give a dime to Trudeau's political campaign. They just gave it to him personally, and called it a 'speaking fee'."

"Time will tell whether questions about Trudeau’s experience (substitute teacher), policy positions (none) or income (millionaire) will hurt him, but all indications are that he is well on his way to becoming the next Liberal leader."

14 February 2013

Remember when people used to use the words "hard-hitting" and "journalism" in the same sentence? Apparently, now, it's all about sensitivity and understanding.

"St. Aubyn Rodney, just 15 years old, was hanging out with friends inside his Jane St. and Finch Ave.-area apartment when A GUN APPEARED and he was shot."

Oh my gawd, no wonder people are so upset about guns... apparently they can magically beam down (like Captain Kirk's landing party) outta nowhere and kill random bystanders.

Even the local police force, er... police service is willing to play this game...

“At some point A FIREARM WAS PRODUCED and the deceased young man was shot,” said Det. Mike Carbone. Det. Carbone, however, would not comment on whether the boy’s death could have been accidental, saying only that police believe an “unlawful act” played a part in events.

An "UNLAWFUL ACT"! Say it isn't so. I guess that must have something to do with the rather ambiguous Hogwartian "PRODUCTION" of the gun.

Now, usually at this point in the article, the journalist inserts some argle-bargle about the deceased turning their life around and being on the verge of accomplishing bigger & better things. Unfortunately, in this case, the writer appears to have phoned it in...

"At one time, from what I understand, he was showing signs of heading in a positive direction," local school trustee Howard Kaplan said.

Ouch.

Of course, it's also mandatory to get some sympathetic quotes about the guy who pulled the trigger...

"My client is as upset as the victim’s family right now,” criminal defence lawyer Nicholas Charitsis said. “It sounds to me like SOMETHING OF AN ACCIDENT took place."

Hmmm, that's weird. Apparently the shooter didn't even phone 911, never mind stick around to explain the "accident"...

12 February 2013

...declare this part of the city a "bullet free" zone...If it only saves one life... right?

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RELATED: That Community Policing thing...

...how's that working out for ya?

-- TORONTO -- Less than two months into the new year, three young people — including a nine-year-old boy — have died from gunshots.

“Tubby”, 15, is the yet-to-identified teenager who was found shot in a Jane St.- Finch Ave. apartment building Monday night. He was pronounced dead in hospital.

Time to ramp up the fight against farmers, hunters & skeet shooters, oh wait... I mean homicidal urban thugs...

You can call these ridiculous buildings Toronto Community Housing if you want. They are nothing but subsidized drug fortresses.

Meanwhile, where was TCH president and CEO Gene Jones Monday? “Mr. Jones was not in the Firgrove Crescent community last night. He is out of town at a conference,” explained spokesperson Sinead Canavan.

At $200,000 a year — with potential for a 20% bonus — Jones might want to consider getting back here because one thing I have learned in 20 years of covering Toronto’s ghetto drug wars is when one shooting occurs, it is often soon followed by another.

He may want to get that stock media statement ready.

Just something to think about when you're making out those obscene municipal tax cheques.

Build one of these babies and watch all the "bubble-wrap" mommies spin 'til they drop...Ahoy, cap'n...

"Got a little fellow who yearns to captain his own craft? Take a cue from this pint sized inboard. The Little Fellow is only 78 inches long, has a beam of 36 inches and weighs about 125 pounds. The original design had a 7.5 HP engine which pushed it at 30 MPH."

10 February 2013

..I'm sure the Toronto Police "Service" is rounding up farmers, skeet shooters and deer hunters as we speak...

Ontario's Special Investigations Unit has been called in after police fired several gunshots at a car leaving the scene of a west-end shooting early Sunday morning. One person was injured in the shooting, which occurred outside Muzik Nightclub at around 2:30 a.m.

When the officers attempted to stop the vehicle, it sped off.

The officers then fired their weapons at the vehicle, which came to a stop a short distance away near the Dufferin Gate exit to the CNE grounds.

Two occupants in the vehicle suffered gunshot wounds and were taken to hospital.

06 February 2013

-- TORONTO -- A 45-year-old man was blasted with gunfire as he opened his apartment door early Wednesday in Regent Park. The victim of the shooting, the third such frightening incident in the area in less than three weeks, is expected to survive.

Police describe the shooter as black, about 5-foot-11,, wearing a waist-length, thick, black jacket and a black tuque.

"For example, it states that U.S. officials may consider whether an attempted capture of a suspect would pose an 'undue risk' to U.S. personnel involved in such an operation. If so, U.S. officials could determine that the capture operation of the targeted American would not be feasible, making it lawful for the U.S. government to order a killing instead, the memo concludes."

...over the last decade... you've sold your children & grandchildren into perpetual financial slavery...

"Back in 2002-03, the fiscal year before the governing Liberals took office, Ontario’s net debt (assets minus liabilities) stood at $132.6-billion. In the ensuing decade, the province’s debt ballooned by almost 78%to $235.6-billion (2011-12)."

All those government handouts & pie-in-the-sky programs... somebody has to foot the bill.

05 February 2013

-- SAULT STE. MARIE, ONT. -- A judge gave a commercial fisherman the option Monday of donating 200 pounds of fish to Batchewana First Nation as part of his probation.

Now, here's where things get funny, er... wait...

The court heard Ian Agawa assaulted and threatened to kill a couple, and burn their house down.

When the complainant went outside and told Agawa to leave, he called her a “fucking white bitch,” and told her “she was on Indian land, (that) this was his land,” Johnson said.

He pushed her, grabbed her finger and put up his fists, saying she was “in for it” and he’d “burn down the place or whatever it takes.”

When she pushed back, Agawa hit her in the jaw and face.

So, the facts are, this guy is apparently aboriginal... and he's drunk and has some sort of chip on his shoulder... and he assaults and threatens this woman and her family.

How exactly is justice served by this fisherman donating fish to the Batchewana First Nation? At minimum, he should be compensating his victim. A more appropriate sentence would be jail time.

Just try imagine the uproar if an Anglo-Saxon cop was convicted of assaulting someone aboriginal... and said cop offered to square things by making a donation to the Sault Ste. Marie Police Pipe band. What judge in all the land would have approved that transaction?

...silly me... I was under the impression there was no such thing as shame anymore. I guess it was only a matter of time before we started to recognise, well... "Addict pride"...

"People form addictions that MAY come from shame, it’s a painful emotion and drugs help to alleviate their pain. It COULD BE that feeling shame in general in other events in their life causes this problematic cycle to occur and reoccur."

Yup... you can almost smell the science. Is it just me, or is the media chock full of people, on a daily basis, no less... celebrating their victimisation? Hang on... isn't that, uh... pride?

Here's the best part...

"A parent may say to a child: “You should feel bad about that” as a method of discouraging that behaviour from being repeated, according to Kazdin. But there now needs to be a reconsideration of how to identify people who experience shame and how they adapt to coping with it."

How exactly would that work? Now, now Billy... setting cats on fire may not be the best way to build up your self-esteem... oh, well... if you insist.

I guess I've always thought that feeling bad (i.e. shame) about destructive or anti-social behaviour was a good thing. Especially for children.

C'mon Sandi... the mentally ill veteran he was trying to help had nothing to do with this?

I'm so confused... are there good guns as well as evil guns? Who exactly is it at CTV that makes that distinction?

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FROM THE COMMENTS:

"Obviously semi-automatic handguns are worse than full auto assault rifles, mortars, and IEDs, since he survived 4 tours of duty. The government ought to offer an anmesty program, trade in your evil semi-auto handgun for one of; full auto assault rifle, mortar, or your choice of land mine. If it saves even one life, it's all worthwhile."